It's been a little over a month of "cleaning out" and major "detox" since the AC Pro and finally my body had regulated itself from the brutal rebound. For those of you that are not familiar with "the rebound" effect after a show I will explain.. If you diet down to extreme levels (as most professionals do) your body hits a point where the slightest change in your diet routine will force your body into a sudden burst of weight gain (mostly from water due to sodium). The good part is you will walk around looking like a monster for about a few weeks but the downfall is the pressure you put on your heart and lower back. I've learned the HARD WAY to not go crazy with the junk food and to taper down slowly as to keep the "rebound" to a minimum. Now, this time around Jim (disgusted to you getbiggers) put me on a special program that has done some amazing shit to my body. I have sustained the weight gain (41 pounds in 30 days.. I was 251 at the AC Pro) and still maintained the hardness without the extreme water gain. Jim is a fucking mad scientist and has made me a believer. My sponsors at Supreme Protein are very excited about the improvements I am making and I have no choice but to give the credit to the "Magic Powder". I have been using the powder everyday since the show and the results are insane.. There is no other way to say it. I will continue the "clean out" phase for another month before I become radioactive again.. More pics will be coming soon.

Jesus Christ man.. I post pictures during my "clean out" phase at 5'10" and 292 lbs. and this kid asks who is the guy in the background Fucking amazing!! Do see my point now Jim? Anyway...

tbombz: Working on it.

io856 : Very wise.. My health comes first and I already got my blood work back and I am fine but my heart is another issue. I have learned not to go crazy with the food. Everytime I get the urge to cheat I just pound a meal replacement shake or Supreme Protein bar to fill me up and kill the craving.. It works like a charm.

njflex: It's the biggest I have ever been with this type of condition. More sweeps and fill in some gaps and I will on point for 2009.

ironjoe: I knew guys back in DC that gained 30 in 2 days and ended up in the emergency room sucking for air.. Not smart.

King first of all you rule bro!!!!!!!! I watched your battle for the Olympia tape again today before shoulders! Love it man, "all you buck tooth jackasses out there." Ya, I know who is the guy in the back, who gives a shit hehee.. Hey king I only said thirty because that is what I did and yes I ended up in the hospital with cankles and edema... Armature move I know but at least I haven't done it since 2005.. Thanks for all the motivation man looking CRAZY as usual bro.... Followed ya a long time.. "I only train my calves once a year and I'm gonna do them tonite," love it bro!!!!!!!!! Keep up the good work man.

Here is a quote my wife told me that you might like king. Don't wrestle with pigs because you will get dirty and the pigs will like it. I think that is fitting for bodybuilding boards..

ironjoe: I hear you brother but after so many years of listening to these internet tough guys I am now immune to it all. Instead of asking questions and trying to learn from professionals they have managed to annoy most away with their hate and ignorance. I can't tell you how many people (guys and girls) I have helped win shows all over the country just by asking questions and being students of the sport. 292 lbs. is a first for me and I did it without killing my kidneys and liver.. Who knew?

tbombz: Thanks for the vote of confidence but remember trying to "place in the top 6" is not the correct route to take, that would mean I am doing it for "them". I will improve and come in better than I did at the Atlantic City and once I achieve that I will get my just due. For the first time in a while I am actually enjoying the sport again and that's because I am doing it for "ME".

flexingtonsteele: That's right Flex.. Fill in the gaps and keep improving is the key.. I'm on it brother.

Stavios: Thanks for the props.. And thanks to Jim and the powder

BlueDevil: Just a gym member.. I don't know the man.

bigmc: Genetically I have short bicep bellies and long arms but my triceps have the length to match. It's been a long road to close the gaps and they are finally filling out. Deep tissue massage has done wonders.

this off season you need to work on quad sweep and improving your back in the back double bicep

Show me a pro without sweep who built sweep (for an example). Bigger overall, smaller overall, harder or fuller (softer). That's about it, as far as what you can do at an advanced level.

I think it's so silly to suggest bodyparts to work on for a pro. As if they don't know what is comparatively weak and haven't already tried everything for years. "King, work on your forearms and calves" would be a suggestion only a newbie would make. It sure as hell wouldn't be something achievable by working out in the gym. The other "interventions" might sometimes help to a degree, temporarily, but often cause a negative result in the end.

I think it is crazy for a person to tell a pro what to work on too. Thats what IFBB Judges are for not some internet hero. Hero sandwich that is.. Amatures have there place but not giving advice to a pro on a board, just my feelings...

King whats your back workout look like? What was it in the beginning days? Thanks man!

I think it is crazy for a person to tell a pro what to work on too. Thats what IFBB Judges are for not some internet hero. Hero sandwich that is.. Amatures have there place but not giving advice to a pro on a board, just my feelings...

Supposedly knowledgeable people, including judges, often give this type of retarded advice too. Like telling Dennis Wolf to work on his lower lats. This is how much Wolf's back shape and proportions will change in the future, regardless of how he trains: zero.

Yes and no. I did low cable rows for a year with a palms up grip pulling the bar lower than my belly button and I was surprised to see how it brought in my lower lats. I know its hard to change genetics but there are ways to improve a physique or why in the hell would we keep going to the gym. I bet a bodybuilder could bring out the sweep of there legs with some low platform hack squats, or whatever, hell ya gotta keep the faith man.. Peace.

Show me a pro without sweep who built sweep (for an example). Bigger overall, smaller overall, harder or fuller (softer). That's about it, as far as what you can do at an advanced level.

I think it's so silly to suggest bodyparts to work on for a pro. As if they don't know what is comparatively weak and haven't already tried everything for years. "King, work on your forearms and calves" would be a suggestion only a newbie would make. It sure as hell wouldn't be something achievable by working out in the gym. The other "interventions" might sometimes help to a degree, temporarily, but often cause a negative result in the end.

alot of pros have made improvements over the years. your right that they generally just improve as a whole and keep their shape, however ii think a few have made isloated improvements. branch warren bourhg tup his chest, then his arms. then some back thickness this last year.. did all one at a time. i thik alot of times guys have a weak body part because they just never trained it very intensly. it might sound silly, but maybe one of kings least favorite exercises is hack swuats... in my opinion that would be adetrimental to quad sweep, and create a leg looking something like kings. anyways, i do think you generally right van. but if i want to give constructive criticism what should i give ? he has weaknesses so his only option now is to try t address those weaknesses ( especially since he already said he wasnt going to try to play the mass game anymore)

anyways, i do think you generally right van. but if i want to give constructive criticism what should i give ? he has weaknesses so his only option now is to try t address those weaknesses ( especially since he already said he wasnt going to try to play the mass game anymore)

Yeah that's what most do, comment on how they should concentrate on the weaknesses (which they probably had been doing for years already). But if you analyze any pro physique over the years it just doesn't happen to a significant degree. If you want you could post side by side comparisons of Branch over the last year, I haven't analyzed his physique so I don't know if you're right.

King can correct me if I'm wrong but I've gotten the impression that the feedback he's getting is that he needs to get bigger while shredded and from his comments he's excited about growing without bloat.

Van_Bilderass: I understand where you are coming from and I agree it is very hard to work on a particular muscle group for "improvement" when you have been training for so many years, but, there is hope and this is why: Looking a certain way means you have trained a Certain way to get to that point. I myself have trained like a power lifter all my life and refused to change my method until recently. Hey fuck it, I will admit that once I hit 30 my body changed and I was not healing as fast as I use to and the joints were really starting to hurt. This is a situation that requires an individual to be smart and not just a tough guy all the time.. For example: I use to do dumbell flys with the 140's 4 sets of 10 - 12 reps, now I use the 60's and do 20 reps and then drop down to the 45's and do 15 more. I feel it more and get insane pumps which have resulted in new growth. As far as my sweeps go they have improved this past year and are getting better and better each week.. Again, dropping the weight and going for the "feel" instead of showing off in the gym with world class poundage. Kevin Leverone is a great example of the reverse effect.. His legs were crazy early in his career and then became a weak point later in his career.. It can go both ways.

ironjoe: I don't mind the amateur advice.. as a matter of fact I always pay attention to others in the gym to see if I can pick up something new.. It's the haters that have fucked everything up for everyone. My Back routine has remained the same throughout the years. Heavy barbell rows & 1/4 dead lifts, low pulleys with wide grip (over hand), behind the neck pull downs, dumbell pullovers. I change the machines around from time to time but that's the meat and potatoes of my program.

jtsunami: Good point.. will try it out.

NaturalWonder83: No sweat man and here is some advice, next time you want to express your opinion just put your self in my shoes or any other individual you are talking to and see how you would react if you were in their shoes... EX: What do you think Shaq would say to a fan if they walked up to him and said work on your foul shots and crossovers?